noun
definition
An attack.
example
The Marines today launched a major offensive.
definition
The posture of attacking or being able to attack.
example
He took the offensive in the press, accusing his opponent of corruption.
adjective
definition
Causing offense; arousing a visceral reaction of disgust, anger, or hatred.
example
An offensive smell.
definition
Relating to an offense or attack, as opposed to defensive.
example
The army's offensive capabilities. An offensive weapon.
definition
Having to do with play directed at scoring.
example
The offensive coordinator is responsible for ordering all rushing plays.
Examples of offensive in a Sentence
We must respect their traditions, no matter how offensive they are.
It was decided therefore to abandon offensive operations.
Sulphuretted hydrogen is a colourless gas possessing an extremely offensive odour.
The conception of a permanent confederation, bound together in offensive and defensive alliance for common objects, has not occurred to these hard fighters and stubborn asserters of their civic privileges.
Balashev replied that there was "nothing offensive in the demand, because..." but Murat interrupted him.
The pale clay-coloured gills, offensive odour, and clammy or even viscid top are decisive characters.
The crude product is very impure and possesses an offensive smell; it may be purified by forcing a fine spray of lime water through the liquid until the escaping water is quite clear, the washed bisulphide being then mixed with a little colourless oil and distilled at a low temperature.
This scorn was not offensive to his master.
Nevertheless he soon took the offensive.
The second class, who were equally offensive, consisted of those who practised blind experience, which is mere 3 Fil.
Thus, without the previous consent of the estates, no new law could be imposed, rio old law abolished, no offensive war undertaken, no extraordinary war subsidy levied.
In 1875 Bismarck was suspected of a design of again attacking France, and Gorchakov gave him to understand, in a way which was not meant to be offensive, but which roused the German chancellor's indignation, that Russia would oppose any such scheme.
Kuropatkin was so far averse to retreat that he ordered a new offensive, which was carried out on the 16-17th.
The Austrian attempt to break through ended in definite failure, and even its secondary object, that of preventing the Italian offensive on the Isonzo, was not attained.
But these were the French and British heavy guns (nearly 200 in number), which had been withdrawn when he stated that he could not renew his offensive, and a number of batteries now restored to the Trentino front, which had been stripped for the earlier fighting.
This was doubtless due to the extreme pressure of the days which preceded the offensive, and to the many modifications which had tb be made during these days.
Simultaneously Wladislaus contracted an offensive and defensive alliance with Venice against the Porte, a treaty directly contrary indeed to the pacta conventa he had sworn to observe, but excusable in the desperate circumstances.
The passage of a bill proposed by him (November 1 775) to arm and equip ships to prey upon British commerce, and for the establishment of a prize court, was, according to his biographer, Austin, " the first actual avowal of offensive hostility against the mother country, which is to be found in the annals of the Revolution."
Any criticism of their peculiar institution now came to be highly offensive to Southern leaders, and Calhoun, who always took the most advanced stand in behalf of Southern rights urged (but in vain) that the Senate refuse to receive abolitionist petitions.
Hobbes's conception of the state of nature antecedent to civil organization as a state of war and moral anarchy was obviously very offensive to churchmen.
James then entered at great length into the case, censuring the judges for the offensive form of their letter, and for not having delayed judgment upon his demand, which had been made solely because he was himself a party concerned.
In a very offensive and quite unjustifiable tone, which is severely commented on by Sigwart and Fischer, he attacks the Baconian methods and its results.
His cause was subsequently espoused by Pope Nicholas in a manner highly offensive to the independent feeling of the Eastern Church.
Union between Greeks, voluntary or compulsory, and an offensive war against Persia, was the programme they propounded.
These conditions elucidate the fact that the Parthian Empire, though founded on annexation and perpetually menaced by hostile arms in both the East and the West, yet Later Illsnever took a strong offensive after the days of tory- of the Mithradates II.
This chief soon entered upon a series of intrigues in the Persian interests, and, among other acts offensive to Great Britain, suffered one Abbas Kuli, who had, under guise of friendship, betrayed the cause of the salar at Meshed, to occupy the citadel of Herat, and again place a detachment of the shahs troops in Ghurian.
Under Hollywood's production code at the time, movies could not include nudity, criminal activity, or offensive language, or depict illegal drug use, venereal disease, or childbirth.
But if you only knew how offensive it was... as if I...
They must understand that we can only lose by taking the offensive.
He tried to avoid his old acquaintances with their commiseration and offensive offers of assistance; he avoided all distraction and recreation, and even at home did nothing but play cards with his mother, pace silently up and down the room, and smoke one pipe after another.
If you find either offensive, you can simply walk away and find another chat room environment.
From political jabs to sexist slams, the race to produce the most offensive T shirts is on, and many clothing manufacturers are happy to be taking part.
An expansion pack called United Offensive and a Mac OS X and N-Gage version is available.
The film may contain some mildly offensive scenes that might upset some younger children.
Unknown lyrics may be offensive to the recipient.
The organization uses some terms that many people on the spectrum find offensive, and while many families can relate to the hardships associated with the conditions, the portrayal seems skewed to the negative.
Asked not to play their song "Radio, Radio" due to offensive lyrics about the media, Costello did it anyway.
The Russians, then, at the beginning of June, were divided into three groups, the Southern, or offensive group (3 5,000), in the triangle Neuchwang-Haicheng-Kaiping; the Eastern or defensive group (30,000), the main body of it guarding the passes right and left of the Wiju-Liao-Yang road, the left (Cossacks) in the roadless hills of the upper Aiho and Yalu valleys, the right (Mishchenko's Cossacks and infantry supports) guarding Fenshuiling pass and the road from Takushan; the reserve (42,000) with Kuropatkin at Liao-Yang; the " Ussuri Army " about Vladivostok; and Stessel's two divisions in the Kwantung peninsula.
This was the only manifestation of the offensive spirit on Kuropatkin's part during the six months of marking time.
But the right of the 1st Army (12th division) was threatened by the gathering storm of the counterstroke from the side of Yentai Mines, and had it not been that the resolute Okasaki continued the attack on Manjuyama alone, the Japanese offensive would have come to a standstill.
A state of equilibrium was established, only momentarily disturbed by Kuropatkin's offensive on the Sha-ho in October, and by the Sandepu incident in the winter, until at last Oyama fought a battle on a grand scale and won it.
Moreover, growing in strength day by day, and aware that the Japanese had outrun their powers, he resolved, in spite of the despondency of many of his senior officers, to take the offensive.
The Russian commander-in-chief states in his work on the war that Bilderling became engaged a fond instead of gradually withdrawing as Kuropatkin intended, and at any rate it is unquestioned that in consequence of the serious position of affairs on the western wing, not only did Stakelberg use his reserves to support Bilderling, when the 12th division of Kuroki's army was almost at its last gasp and must have yielded to fresh pressure, but Kuropatkin himself suspended the general offensive on the 13th of October.
Kuropatkin wished to continue the offensive, but his corps commanders offered so much opposition to a further offensive that he at last gave up the idea.
Towards the end of January, Kuropatkin took the offensive.
It was particularly offensive to Christians as tending to dishonour the Creator who is set over against the serpent as bad against good.
Peter's enthusiastic worship of Frederick resulted in a peace (May 5) and then (June 19) in an offensive and defensive alliance between Russia and Prussia, whereby Peter restored to Prussia all the territory won from her by Russia during the last five years at such an enormous expense of men and money, and engaged to defend Frederick against all his enemies.
But the Neustrians threw off the Austrasian yoke and entered into an offensive alliance with the Frisians and Saxons.
After his victory Charles took the offensive, and endeavoured to wrest Narbonensis from the Mussulmans.
Almost simultaneously a civil war broke out in the Crimea and the Porte declared war against the Venetian republic, with which Wladislaus at once concluded an offensive and defensive alliance (1645).